Rail Insights 2025- STB Chair Patrick Fuchs

Drawn from our 2025 Rail Insights conference, this edition of
Railway Age’s podcast series features Surface Transportation Board
Chair Patrick Fuchs in conversation with Editor-in Chief William C.
Vantuono. Now in his second five-year term expiring Jan. 14, 2029,
Fuchs was first Senate-confirmed in 2019. Fuchs earned second-term
support from dozens of rail shipper groups who citied his expertise
and offered depictions as “calm,” “transparent” and “seriously
thoughtful.” Railroads, which rarely take positions on pending
nominations, acknowledged support. In his six years at the STB,
Fuchs’ “just the facts” approach has had him siding with railroads
and shippers. As examples, his railroad-favorable dissent rejecting
an STB-initiated Final Offer Rate Review was cited by an appellate
court, while he issued a partial dissent to side with shippers in a
recent high-value tank car case. Sponsored by BNSF Railway, The
Greenbrier Companies, Amsted Rail, Loram, Trinity Rail and Union
Pacific.